Chapter 30: A Bandit Hunter
Inside the mansion, there was a man with a weird hairstyle having his dark-blue hair spiked out, with his right hand full of tattoos that weren't matched together whatsoever. Yet, the man's body looked muscular, looking rather dominant as he was above a girl that he was having intercourse.
It was a sweet moment for this man who was releasing his pent-up sex drive, but it didn't last for long since he heard a sudden curse coming from down the basefloor, which had him slow down his thrusts on the girl.
– WHO ARE YOU BASTARD? DID SOMEONE INVITE YOU?
– Shut your mouth when you're talking to me.
The man suddenly stopped when he heard the commotion going, and with his expression turning worse with the first scream of pain coming from downstairs, it had him pull out and push the woman he was fucking onto the bed, while immediately moving to pick up his sword and clothes.
"It must be another of those bounty hunters. Damned marines, since I've killed that stupid sea dog, they set my bounty and even made those stupid bounty hunters to hunt me down."
Finishing his preparations rather quickly he exited his room, and immediately dashed toward the base floor, only to be met by a man with long ink-black hair, sitting casually on a comfortable couch while not far from him, his entire bandit group was fuming in anger.
At the door he could see 4 bandits downed, unknown to him if they were dead or unconscious.
"Who might you be? I didn't invite anyone to my house. Are you a bounty hunter? A Marine?"
The man continued to ask the black-haired man who was playing with a needle-like object that didn't look dangerous at all, and to his confusion, the man remained silent, until he got on his feet.
"Neither of them."
"Then, what do you want? To join my group? You want to be a pirate?" continued the blue-haired man, not knowing what was the reason Vlad invited himself to his house.
"Neither."
"... What do you want?"
"Simple, I want you to fight me."
"BOSS, KILL THIS MOTHERFUCKER! HE DARED TO KILL OUR BROTHERS WITHOUT EVEN EXPLAINING HIMSELF!" shouted some of the bandits not far from Vlad, which instantly quieted down when he received a stare from Vlad's abyssal eyes.
"So those 4 guys, you've killed them."
"Mhm? What about it? Do you want to take revenge?"
"Not really. But you have to give me an explanation for why you would want to fight me. If you aren't a bounty hunter, a marine, or pirate? Why would you even bother with trying to fight me? Have those stupid villagers set you up? Enticed you with some of their rewards?"
"Haha, those peasants? They got nothing for me. Instead, I am an adventurer searching for something I long so dearly."
"And what could that be that you've bothered to climb the mountain to see me?"
"First I want my sight."
"I am not a doctor." responded the man, trying to calm himself in the face of this man that he didn't know if he was dangerous with a hidden motive for challenging him or simply an idiot.
"Obviously, how could a rat have such profound knowledge? Instead, my second goal is to reach the pinnacle of this world, to test myself and push my limits."
Malus shook his head, and turned to look at his men that numbered about 40 inside his building, only giving them a simple order.
"Kill this retard. I don't have time to waste with all the bunch of maniacs trying to fight me for no reason."
When Vlad heard that he released a creepy smile, as if he was pleased by this comment, and immediately sensing that the bandits took out their arms, from sword to pistols, the first thing he did was to humm.
"He even started singing for his own death." commented some of the bandits who began walking toward Vlad with a spiked club in hand.
More of them approached while Vlad remained standing proud inside the living room of the mansion, not showing a sign of being afraid by the bandits having a numerical advantage, instead he continued his humming.
"Tsk, if you want to die so badly, let me help you! This is revenge for Pow and Oboth. Die motherfucker!"
The bandit welding the club charged at Vlad who had his eyes closed with the needle in his hand that slowly began distorting and morphing as if it had life inside.
"The dance has begun.
My lady, if you don't want to be flooded by the screams of those pigs, I would suggest you close your ears."
Titania who was holding Vlad's hair while looking around the bandits that started encircling him, tightened her grip, and also chose to face along with Vlad those criminals.
She felt Vlad's body tense up a bit, with his muscles tensing reaching their peak performance, while his ears acted like his eyes, dodging the moment the club guy swinged his murderous weapon.
The bandit in question looked with a dumbfounded expression at the man with closed eyes, dodging his charged swing combo, and his expression turned instantly into a fearing one when he saw Vlad's weapon turn into a Scimitar moving to cleave the hands holding his weapon.
"This is the weakness of club weapons. You expose too much of your body."
*Humming*
Following Vlad's creepy hum, the bandits saw how this black-haired man moved like a ghost appearing in front of the man swinging the club at him, where he swung the black saber in a merciless form, cleaving the man in two halves making in seem as the person they were facing wasn't human at all.
No, slowly, Vlad began turning himself in the eyes of those helpless bandits into a Devil bound to drag them in hell where they belonged.
Nevertheless, when a beast is cornered it would bite out of desperation with everything it had, and such another bandit took a swing with his club at Vlad, only to miss the Devil who moved with a speed they couldn't imagine being able to achieve.
Vlad's swiftness shook them to their spine, watching helplessly how he swung the black saber again, and with only a strike, blood start flying all the while the demented humming never stopped for a second.
*Humming*
Vlad cleaved off the hands of the man, dropping his weapon on the floor while he cried in agony looking at his missing hands, and before he could even comprehend he watched his body drop on the floor while he was in the air.
"KILL HIM! THIS GUY IS DANGEROUS!" shouted the rest of the bandits who immediately abandoned their initial preconception of not wanting to fight, which turned the living room into a battlefield.
A smile was the response Vlad gave this group of bandits who railed up to kill him, with a twisted expression that was releasing some pleasure, he began dodging around sword strikes, and also the gunfire that was more tricky than he expected.
*ARGHH* "Don't shoot at your friends you fool!" screamed a guy who was watching how Vlad used some of the bandits as meat shields to block the gunfire, and struck two rabbits with a single stone.
It was a chaotic fight that sent Vlad's senses on fire, being required to react to everything around himself, but he wasn't struggling whatsoever, instead, starting to find the sensation of predicting and knowing where certain attacks would be, ecstatic.
"That's it, you stupid peasants? Fight me more! Show me everything you can do. Bring even a cannon if you can! I want to see if my senses can pick it up."
Malus who watched his bandits get butchered by this man that looked like a devil unleashed to hunt him for all his sins, finally reacted and blocked a killing blow delivered by Vlad.
The first thing he noticed was the immense strength under Vlad's sword which pushed him back while his sword suffered a small chipping on the cutting blade.
"You must be a traveling Master Swordsman. I heard about people like you inside Valent." mentioned Malus, who looked at Vlad with a serious gaze.
"You too aren't half-bad from the initial engagement. Your guard remained stable while clashing with my sword."
"Should I feel something by your comment?" asked Malus, who clashed swords with Vlad again, exchanging cuts with him trying to place the pressure he felt on another part of his mind.
Blow by blow, he could feel that Vlad was keeping up with the rhythm he was placing on him, and was parrying his sword cuts with ease, flustering him into signaling his men to act dirty and fire at him.
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"Shrewd. You understand that there are levels to this, and go back to rely on your pawns." commented Vlad who morphed his sword into a shield that he used to take in the bullets shot at him.
This versatility shown by the magical sword, was fantasy like for the bandits who stared dumbfounded at the way the bullets couldn't even make a dent on the shield.
After the rounds of shots were fired, Vlad morphed his weapon into a Halberd taking Malus by surprise not expecting this black haired man to know how to wield a different type weapon.
"How can you even wield a spear? Weren't you a swordsman?"
"Brat, when you experience the cruelty of war, you'll learn any weapon that can make you stronger and assure you a higher chance of survival. Besides, I will clean up those roaches you have around you, so we can resume fighting."
Saying that, he advanced for the first time since he got on his feet, and began piercing the spear in various directions without a target in mind, but this attack was spot-on hit on three guys that didn't even have time to block the halberd attack.
Drawing back the halberd shaft, he raised it on a vertical position like a flagpole and right before the bandits he swinged the murder weapon in a circular direction, slashing and opening up the bodies of some unfortunate guys.
However, in that moment, he sensed someone approaching him but was slower in bringing back his spear, receiving a sword that pierced his flesh.
Malus took the best chance he saw in wounding Vlad, which made him release an evil laugh, finding his chances of winning being favorable on him.
"You are arrogant, you bounty hunter. How could you leave yourself open so badly?"
"Not bad, you've seen one of the spear's weaknesses. But this is where you are wrong."
It took far more to be able to wound a Soldier King who was born to battle to the death, an unleashed monster who had no breaks once the leash wrapped tightly around him was cut off.
Vlad morphed the halberd into a dagger that he used in close range to slash at Malus body, opening his whole body making him cry in pain while in a smooth movement that didn't suffer any slowness the experienced monarch followed his instincts stabbing the bandit leader in his stomach.
"Teeth for teeth. I just did it better."
*ARGH* "That cursed weapon. Where have you got such a weapon with that ability?"
"There's no need for people like you to actually know."
*Kick*
A kick coming from Vlad distanced Malus away from him, preparing to welcome the rest of bandits still standing on his Macabre Dance.
In that sequence where he was surrounded by the bandits, everyone threw at him with only murder intent, being subjected to the bloodlust brewing inside the living room that was flooded in blood.
The sound of flesh being cut, the smell of the iron-rich blood, along with the gunpowder and burnt flesh sent a deep miasma for everyone's senses.
The cries of men shouting and screaming, calling out their missing limbs, their drifting lives, while those who called in surrender were more prominent, a certain humming that was like a nightmare to everyone in this mansion.
Suddenly stopped abruptly with the accompaniment of a bomb being sent in his direction, blowing all the downed bodies beside this black haired devil, while the ones from behind that were together with Malus, took a breath, remarking with some tiredness.
"Finally that sick monster got killed. Boss, we lost too much."
"It will be dangerous staying inside Calmaria. We need to prepare to depart for Bulge Island and meet Captain Vane."
"Wait, I have a feeling that man didn't die from the bomb." called out Malus, who raised his hand full of sword wounds filling the entire floor with blood.
"There's no way he survived after so many sword wounds and those bombs thrown at him." replied one of the surviving bandits, staring at the smoke in front of them.
However, to their shock, from inside the smoke a humming could be heard, raising the hairs of everyone standing, even to the bandit leader Malus.
"No way. That guy ate an actual bomb head-on and he is still alive?"
*Humming*
"I've experienced something unique. You have my appreciation for doing such a self-destructing act, foolish peasants."
The man's voice resounded in the living room in a cold tone, unlike the first part of their encounter when he was playing around with them.
Malus gulped his saliva and stopped the trembles he had in his main hand holding the sword.
"NO FUCKING WAY! THAT MONSTER SURVIVED THE BOMB! TAKE ANOTHER ONE FROM THE SAFEBOX!" called out another surviving bandit, toward one who was closer to a specific box.
Nevertheless, once that bandit finished his remark, Malus could sense a strong wind pass next to him, while the shadow of a man covered in blood and flesh from head to toes made his way out from the destroyed part of the mansion.
They could only stare in fear seeing Vlad impale the specific guy closer to the bomb, dropping him on the floor.
"No more bombs for me. You bastards almost burnt my hand down."
*WUAHAHAHA*
A sinister laugh resounded from the center of the living room, where the bandits noticed how Vlad had dark ash marks on his right arm, while the rest of his body was covered in blood and flesh.
"I'll be honest with you kids. This type of fighting is a bit exciting. I can even say it beats being on the frontline or charging at the helm of my cavalry."
"May those poor souls that sacrificed for me right now to make the impact of that device smaller on me, rest in peace."
Malus, looking at Vlad using his other hand to clean his bloody face without showing any signs of emotions, could only ask with a shaking voice.
"You've used my men to protect yourself against the impact?"
"I've made a net from my weapon, and used all the captured pigs to take on the bomb for me." explained Vlad casually, not showing any emotions even after suffering from a bomb impact.
"CRAZY MONSTER! HOW COULD YOU DO THAT? DON'T YOU HAVE …"
"Shut your mouth when you're talking to me."
Saying that, Vlad shut the bandits' attempt at questioning his morals, and walking step by step toward them, with his weapon morphing again into a Kilij, Malus prepared for the final part of the battle.
"You know, Malus boy. If you please me in this fight, I might consider sparing your sorry life."
"Hmph, I don't need you to spare me. I'll kill you myself."
"Stop lying, I can smell your fear." commented Vlad, who with each step could hear the heartbeats of the 7 guys around him increase.
"... Sir, who are you? I think you've played plenty with me and my people."
"Just a bit more, you've still got some more to show me, right? As for who I am? It doesn't matter."
"Someone of your skills should be known far and wide inside the South Blue if not the Paradise."
"No, I am just a blind man. Maybe in the future people will know about me, but for now, it seems only you might have the chance to live and spread my story around, far and wide."
"Sir, if you want fame, I can help you with everything I can. I can assist you in ruling over the entire South Blue region."
*Chuckle* "Malus boy, you think too highly of me. I am just a blind man, my aspirations aren't so grandiose as to rule anyone. I've done this in the past, and it is a pain in the ass. Hah, I am getting all nostalgic again, so better please me with a last fight."
Malus gritted his teeth and understood that he had no choice but to fight against this black-haired devil, especially seeing how he didn't stop one bit even though he was conversing with him casually.
"Boss, we got your back. If shit comes to hit the fan, we will blow the entire mansion and emtomb this guy for good."
Malus looked at Vlad and could see him release a wide smile giving him a sinister feeling that Vlad couldn't wait for such a thing to happen.
'God have mercy on me. I might be a bastard that made their lives hard on others, but I am not such a twisted monster like the guy you've sent in front of me.'
'I have a feeling that he is serious. If I give everything I have, he might spare my life.'
.
.
"Step aside guys. This is my fight."
"But boss, this guy is dangerous!"
"STEP BACK!" roared Malus, who gave his men a murderous look, only to recieve a small humm, with a short comment.
"Good first step."
Malus took a sword stance that placed focus on the piercing attacks of his broadsword, while Vlad also took a weird stance for fighting with sabers, welding the black Kilij one-handed in a relaxed stance.
"Ready, boy?"
"Hmph, bastard you look younger than me, who are you calling boy?" asked Malus who began the fight, charging at Vlad, initializing the first sword clash and creating a strong metal clash.
Attack after attack, Vlad remained confident blocking each of the bandits' attacks, while also countering him by piercing his hands with the curved part of his Kilij, having the bandit grit his teeth but continue fighting.
'I can't win against this guy. Only if my ultimate technique I learned from that pirate works on this dude.'
Malus didn't linger much on this thought, and without wanting to see his life ending, he stepped back, attracting Vlad to him, who took the bait in attacking him back, placing his whole pressure on him.
'Damn it, this monster. He has so much power in his blows that my sword might crack soon if I continue to hold.'
'NOW!'
A scream in his mind gave him the final kick in the ass to pull his technique, and with a stomp on the floor where the blood around got in the air, he blocked Vlad's slash cut, and he blew the blood in the air toward Vlad's face, covering him fully.
He did a quadruple feint that he executed perfectly, giving the impression he would strike Vlad rapidly in four parts of his body but none of those were right, and seeing that Vlad eat the feint, he gave off a small smile.
The black saber clashed with the simple sword, releasing an ear scratching sound.
*Whistle* "For a beginner to pull a tempo-quadruple feint. Impressive."
Malus's smile dropped immediately when he watched Vlad block his sword with a small dagger right on his throat.
"How come you've managed to block this strike? I thought you went along with the feints."
"Boy, I am a blind man. Feints only work on those with eyes, similar to that blood you've spewed on my face. I might have my eyes opened, but they are blind."
"I thought you were just messing with me about being blind. Does this mean you are fighting only relying on your ears?"
"Pretty much."
Malus released his grip on his sword, and looked with shock at Vlad, who took from his side a black cane that he supported his right hand on.
"You've surrendered? No more tricks up your sleeves?"
"That was my best technique that I used to kill a marine Commander."
"Mhm, so be it. You have entertained me plenty, actually you guys have surpassed my expectations which is a bonus from this fight. I was expecting some weaklings.
If a boy with an 8.750.000 𝔅 can show such tricks, then I wonder how better will those with bounties reaching hundreds of millions or billions can be. Imagine the thrill of fighting those people."
"Sir, are you sure you're not a bounty hunter? Aren't you interested in claim my bounty?"
"That's only change money for me. Keep your head intact and when I regain my sight, come to challenge me if you want. I will await you at the pinnacle of this world."
"Then what about those villagers from Calmaria?"
"Move out from this place, don't limit yourself to being a frog standing on a small marsh puddle. There's more to explore in this world." commented Vlad, who turned to walk toward the building's exit door.
"Sir, what is your name?"
"Vlad Dracul"
"Pardon? Dragon? Like the Revolutionary Guy?"
"Hah? Don't confuse me with nobodies. My name is Dracul ... simple as that. As for that other Dragon person, we'll have to see about that. Time will stand judgment on this problem."
"Anyway, do you want to know something else?"
"..."
"If not, I'll take my leave. I'll tell the villagers I've killed you, so better don't have some stupid ideas of taking pity revenge on those poor peasants.
Go to another place. Also, if you fear that you'll be hunted down by the marines and bounty hunters, become stronger so that you'll not have to fear them."
With all being said, Vlad departed from the house, leaving a bloodbath after him, with only a couple of the bandits standing alive, breathing out in a rugged manner, feeling that they survived a calamity.
"Boss! Are you alright?" mentioned the bandits who noticed Malus collapse on the ground inside the blood puddle made from the rest of dead bodies.
"Fuck! We survived such calamity. To think there could exist such a monster that doesn't even have a name already spread out in the world. I've tried everything I could, even doing dirty tactics, all for nothing."
"WE GOT TO TAKE REVENGE!"
"Hah, be quiet you stupid idiot. That guy probably already heard your comment. You might not care about your life, but I do."
"Then what about the rest of the guys who died under the hands of that monster?"
"Forget about it. We are too weak to even think about taking revenge. I have to get my hands on the legendary devil fruit, only with its powers will I be able to face that guy in combat."
"Does this mean we will leave for the sea?"
"Mhm, we scoured the entire Calmaria for any devil fruits and we found nothing. We got to move around and explore, just like that guy mentioned."
"Damn it, I got used to living here." commented a bandit, feeling dejected at the thought of being on the sea.